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08 November 2012

Markings

My Kivääri malli 1928-30 was built by SAKO Limited in 1936 using a 1915 Tula receiver and was issued to a Soujeluskunta (SK) unit near Raseborg.

1915 Tula Date Stamp On The Underside Of The Receiver Tang

SAKO's Markings On The Top Of The Barrel Shank

The Sk.Y. stands for Suojeluskuntain Yliesikunta or Civil Guard General Headquarters.

Civil Guard District Number For The Raasepori District On The Side Of The Barrel Shank

Of note is this reinforcement screw embedded into the forearm just behind the nosecap. The original Kiv/28 and early Kiv/28-30 were made by reworking an existing Model 91 or 91/30. Because the new barrels have a larger outside diameter, some wood had to be removed from the stock. The bayonet lug was found to have enough leverage to crack or split the stock where it had been weakened by this removal. The first fix was to cut the front of the stock off entirely and then splice in a beefier section. The second fix added sheet metal reinforcements inside the barrel channel and a through bolt to tie them together with the wood. Supposedly the second fix was not applied to a rifle without the splice. Mine has no splice!

I am just constantly impressed with the level of workmanship displayed on this gun especially as it compares to my 1942 made Izhevsk M-1891/30.